delcyros
Tech Sergeant
Some more food on timelines:
[+] mid 1940:
RLM selects mass production of JU-288A1 (with side blisters and w/o periscopes) and JU-288A2 (no blisters but periscopes to aim RPC).
Proposed engines: JUMO-222A1 rated 2,000hp on B4 fuel, RLM funds a whole new factory in Vienna for tooling up for this aeroengine
The JU-288A has the following charcteristics:
-3 men crew, pressurized cockpit
-2 RPC turrets (alternative one double and two connected side single turrets)
-internal bombbay for max. 5ts, normal rated 3ts.
-span: 18.29m
-wing area: 54m^2
-MTOW: 15.6t
-range: 3,850km
-cruise speed: 565km/h
[+] mid 1941:
RLM selects mass production of JU-288B.
Proposed engines: JUMO-222A2/B2 rated 2,500hp on B4 fuel,
The JU-288B has the following charcteristics:
-4 men crew, pressurized cockpit
-3 RPC turrets
-internal bombbay for max. 5ts, normal rated 4ts, external hardpoints for 1t bombs or 1.2t drop tank
-span: 20.06m
-wing area: 60m^2
-MTOW: 18.5t
-range: 3,600km
-cruise speed: 540km/h
-ongoing problems of the JUMO-222A2/B2 lead to prototpyes beeing propelled by BMW-801, A/C appears underpowered at this weight by BMW-801.
[+] end of 1941:
Milch initially reduces then cancels orders for production of JUMO-222 and JU-288B, Vienna Ostwerke is given to DB. Milch orders seperation of airframe and aeroengine departments in Junkers.
[+] mid of 1942:
Milch informed Junkers that the JU-288B is not going to be selected for production at all with JUMO-222. Koppenberg and Brandner assure that the JUMO-222 A3/B3 will be by all means cleared for sufficient power and that the preparations went far for mass production. Koppenberg retires. Junkers tries to fit Db-606 and later Db-610 into the airframe. Improvement on JUMO-222 proceed at low pace to JUMO-222A3/B3
[+] mid of 1942:
Junkers FW change the JU-288 to accomodate Db-606 then later Db-610. The resulting Ju-288C has the following characteristics:
-4 men crew, armoured cockpit
-3 RPC turrets
-internal bombbay for max. 5ts, external hardpoints for 1t bombs or 1.2t drop tank
-span: 23.0m
-wing area: 64m^2
-MTOW: 22.8t
-range: 2,500km
-cruise speed: 570km/h
[+] end of 1943:
JUMO returns to the original JUMO-222A1/B1 configuration and changes the supercharger design, leading eventually to the successful JUMO-222 E/F series.
Preparations for poduction of JU-288C with DB-610 starts. At the same time, JU-388K is selected for production. The type has the following characteristics (K2):
-3 men crew pressurized cockpit
-2 x JUMO-222A2/B2 (alternative was BMW-801, DB-603 and JUMO-213)
-1 RPC gun, 3ts internal bomb bay
-span: 22.0m
-wing area: 56m^2
-MTOW: 14.6t.
-range 2800km
-cruise speed: 545km/h
-the plane is based on Ju-188 and Ju-88 designs and has a high degree of common parts with them.
[+] mid 1944:
It is a not well known fact that both, the JU-388K and Ju-288C actually enter production. Next to 2 JU-388K0 prototypes and 10 Ju-388K0 first batch preproduction models an unspecified number of Ju-388K0 from the 2nd batch preproduction was partially completed, one ATG manufcatured JU-388K1 was made when the Jägernotprogramm cancels all deliveries of new bombers and shifts ressources antirely to fighter and recon forces. The few Ju-388K0 produced are rebuildt to photorecon variants in the factory, the JU-388C gets abandoned alltogether with elements offered for the JU-488 prototypes. One may ask what´s the rational in the Ju-388K at all as it returns to the JU-288A specifications with regard to crew size and general aircraft size. This indicates, for me at least, that there was a rational and a need for a bomber with 1940 JU-288A specifications still in 1944. The JU-388K is -compared with the Ju-288- an inferior and less optimized bomber design. For one thing, it kept the obsolete Ju-88 fuselage (with rather limiting space for bombs and fuel tanks) and the Ju-188 tail structure and wings (more complex and weight intensive designs, less space for fuel). The Ju-388K cockpit, however, and RPC instrumentation showed signs of Ju-288 heritage.
[+] mid 1940:
RLM selects mass production of JU-288A1 (with side blisters and w/o periscopes) and JU-288A2 (no blisters but periscopes to aim RPC).
Proposed engines: JUMO-222A1 rated 2,000hp on B4 fuel, RLM funds a whole new factory in Vienna for tooling up for this aeroengine
The JU-288A has the following charcteristics:
-3 men crew, pressurized cockpit
-2 RPC turrets (alternative one double and two connected side single turrets)
-internal bombbay for max. 5ts, normal rated 3ts.
-span: 18.29m
-wing area: 54m^2
-MTOW: 15.6t
-range: 3,850km
-cruise speed: 565km/h
[+] mid 1941:
RLM selects mass production of JU-288B.
Proposed engines: JUMO-222A2/B2 rated 2,500hp on B4 fuel,
The JU-288B has the following charcteristics:
-4 men crew, pressurized cockpit
-3 RPC turrets
-internal bombbay for max. 5ts, normal rated 4ts, external hardpoints for 1t bombs or 1.2t drop tank
-span: 20.06m
-wing area: 60m^2
-MTOW: 18.5t
-range: 3,600km
-cruise speed: 540km/h
-ongoing problems of the JUMO-222A2/B2 lead to prototpyes beeing propelled by BMW-801, A/C appears underpowered at this weight by BMW-801.
[+] end of 1941:
Milch initially reduces then cancels orders for production of JUMO-222 and JU-288B, Vienna Ostwerke is given to DB. Milch orders seperation of airframe and aeroengine departments in Junkers.
[+] mid of 1942:
Milch informed Junkers that the JU-288B is not going to be selected for production at all with JUMO-222. Koppenberg and Brandner assure that the JUMO-222 A3/B3 will be by all means cleared for sufficient power and that the preparations went far for mass production. Koppenberg retires. Junkers tries to fit Db-606 and later Db-610 into the airframe. Improvement on JUMO-222 proceed at low pace to JUMO-222A3/B3
[+] mid of 1942:
Junkers FW change the JU-288 to accomodate Db-606 then later Db-610. The resulting Ju-288C has the following characteristics:
-4 men crew, armoured cockpit
-3 RPC turrets
-internal bombbay for max. 5ts, external hardpoints for 1t bombs or 1.2t drop tank
-span: 23.0m
-wing area: 64m^2
-MTOW: 22.8t
-range: 2,500km
-cruise speed: 570km/h
[+] end of 1943:
JUMO returns to the original JUMO-222A1/B1 configuration and changes the supercharger design, leading eventually to the successful JUMO-222 E/F series.
Preparations for poduction of JU-288C with DB-610 starts. At the same time, JU-388K is selected for production. The type has the following characteristics (K2):
-3 men crew pressurized cockpit
-2 x JUMO-222A2/B2 (alternative was BMW-801, DB-603 and JUMO-213)
-1 RPC gun, 3ts internal bomb bay
-span: 22.0m
-wing area: 56m^2
-MTOW: 14.6t.
-range 2800km
-cruise speed: 545km/h
-the plane is based on Ju-188 and Ju-88 designs and has a high degree of common parts with them.
[+] mid 1944:
It is a not well known fact that both, the JU-388K and Ju-288C actually enter production. Next to 2 JU-388K0 prototypes and 10 Ju-388K0 first batch preproduction models an unspecified number of Ju-388K0 from the 2nd batch preproduction was partially completed, one ATG manufcatured JU-388K1 was made when the Jägernotprogramm cancels all deliveries of new bombers and shifts ressources antirely to fighter and recon forces. The few Ju-388K0 produced are rebuildt to photorecon variants in the factory, the JU-388C gets abandoned alltogether with elements offered for the JU-488 prototypes. One may ask what´s the rational in the Ju-388K at all as it returns to the JU-288A specifications with regard to crew size and general aircraft size. This indicates, for me at least, that there was a rational and a need for a bomber with 1940 JU-288A specifications still in 1944. The JU-388K is -compared with the Ju-288- an inferior and less optimized bomber design. For one thing, it kept the obsolete Ju-88 fuselage (with rather limiting space for bombs and fuel tanks) and the Ju-188 tail structure and wings (more complex and weight intensive designs, less space for fuel). The Ju-388K cockpit, however, and RPC instrumentation showed signs of Ju-288 heritage.
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